Foreshadowing
by A. Cullen
Summary: The Senshi are sent back in time to try to rescue Mamoru's guardians in order to complete Queen Serenity's plan for Crystal Tokyo. Not much fluff or romance, mostly action and some humor. Sequel on the way! Maybe.
1. Chapter 1

Prequel to _Light Fantastic_: _Foreshadowing_

This is set just before the events of _Light Fantastic_, in an effort to explain why the Shitennou are back, and to shed some light on their characters, their relationships with each other and Mamoru, and to show case the Senshi a bit. No one really gets together in this, so don't expect much romance or fluff (except maybe between Usagi and Mamoru, of course), mostly this will be a funny, action centered fic. (I hope.)

As always – I don't own Sailor Moon.

* * *

**Chapter One:**

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

Hino Rei, violet eyes beginning to send warning flares, stood with her hands across her chest, staring unbelievingly at a tall, tanned woman with very dark emerald hair and garnet colored eyes.

The other woman sighed, and addressed the entire group assembled before her, which included three blondes - one with oddly shaped pig tails, one with a large red bow, and the last dressed in a pant suit with short hair; a blue-haired girl with glasses, a tall brunette with an apron, and finally an elegant, turquoise haired woman holding a baby with sad eyes in her arms.

"The new age is coming," the garnet eyed woman spoke, "every day it's getting closer. That's why there has been a drop in enemy activity recently. But I'm telling you now that, in order to usher in the new era, we have to deal with the old one. You have to go back in time and fix it."

"Can you be any more specific?" Mina, the blonde with the bow, asked.

"Due to Queen Serenity's foresight we now have the entire original court assembled, just as it was a millennium ago, ready to begin the Crystal age that was interrupted by Metallia the first time. All of you are here in order to create Crystal Tokyo, but we are missing something that was there the first time and without it we cannot continue."

"Well," Makoto, wiping her hands on her apron, said, "What is it? What's so important?"

"Yes," Ami pointed out, ticking off on her fingers: "You said everything has to be restored to its original order, but Usagi and Mamoru are together, their wedding date is fixed for six months from now; and with the addition of Hotaru, we now have all the original Senshi. What more do we need?"

"_We_ don't need anything," Setsuna countered, "But Crystal Tokyo does."

She stood up and waved her orb almost carelessly – a large hole like thing appeared next to her.

"I'll give you until tonight," she warned, "When you go to sleep tonight you will not wake up in the present, so prepare yourselves to face your past. We're depending on you four to unravel it. If you think you need back up, ask Haruka or Michiru to accompany you, but someone needs to stay behind to guard Usagi, Mamoru and Hotaru."

"It'll take more than one person to do all of that," Haruka commented wryly.

"What?" she grunted as four pairs of eyes stared at her, unamused, "It's the truth. And anyway, you're all big girls, you can handle it."

"Gee, thanks," Makoto muttered.

"Haruka's right," Michiru put in firmly, "This is something you need to do by yourselves."

"You guys are so supportive," Rei commented sarcastically.

"We know," Michiru smiled. Haruka smirked.

"Oh, one more thing," Setsuna said before she disappeared.

"Make sure you ask Mamoru about the stones. You might want to take them with you."

The younger Senshi glanced at one another in puzzlement.

"Hey, what stones -" Mako called, but Setsuna was already gone.

"I hate it when she does that." Mako grumbled.

* * *

"Stones?" Mamoru looked baffled as he faced the four Senshi, standing on the threshold of his apartment. He was dressed for the cold weather as he and Usagi were going skating at the outdoor rink in the park. 

"I'm sorry," he scratched his head, "I'm not exactly sure – unless," he stopped suddenly, his eyes narrowed.

"Um, there is something," he admitted, "but, I don't know if I should show you."

Rei's eyes narrowed as well.

"Anything that could help us," Mina said warily, "we have almost nothing to go on, and we'll leave tonight."

He looked at them for a short moment, then sighed.

"Alright, come on," he led them to his bedroom, "but, you have to promise that you won't freak out."

"What does that mean?" Rei asked suspiciously.

"Yeah, what do you have in here?" Mako quipped, "A dead body?"

"Something like that," Mamoru muttered, to her astonishment.

The four stood beside his bed as he went to his desk and pulled open the top drawer. He then picked something up in his hands, closing the drawer with his hip.

They watched, baffled, as he placed four distinct stones on his bed.

"I don't get it," Mina commented, after a moment, "how are rocks going to help us?"

"Just watch," Mamoru whispered. Suddenly the stones began to glow, then to flash, and then with a shimmer of light, four men stood in the room, their forms hazy and translucent like ghosts.

"What the hell!?" Mako yelled. Rei was starting to transform, when Mamoru shouted desperately:

"Calm down!"

"Senshi!" Mina commanded, everyone stopped, tense, staring at the apparitions hovering over Mamoru's bed.

"Now," she said calmly, "tell us, as clearly as you can, why you have what appears to be the ghosts of four Dark Kingdom servants?"

"They're not ghosts," Ami commented, she had already transformed completely and was scanning them with her computer, "they're almost like a residue of..."

"Soul?" Rei supplied, trying to read them.

"Something like that," Ami agreed, frowning.

"Isn't that what a ghost is?" Mako mumbled sourly.

"These are my guardians," Mamoru said, "Well, what's left of them anyway."

"Your...guardians?" Mina asked. All the Senshi stared at the figures of their former enemies in bewilderment.

"You see," Mamoru explained, sitting on his desk chair, "As far as I can figure, and from what I remember and what they've told me -"

"They talk!?"

"Yes," a thin voice said. The Senshi let out muffled shrieks and turned back to face the specters.

The tall one, the one that looked like Kunzite, was staring at them stolidly. It appeared that he had spoken.

"I'm really creeped out right now," Mako volunteered.

"Don't worry," Mamoru reassured them, "They won't hurt you, in fact they couldn't even if they wanted to."

"And we don't want to," the smallest one, Zoisite's ghost, said.

"Right," Mina commented, her eyes flicking nervously between them.

"Anyway," Mamoru continued, "Just as you four guarded Usagi in the past, these were my four guards...and friends," he added a little wistfully.

"This is..." Mina faltered.

"Excellent," Ami exclaimed. They turned to her in surprise.

"Don't you see?" she asked excitedly, "This is what Setsuna was talking about when she said that the entire court needed to be restored. These men are the missing link."

"Let me get this straight, and, bear with me Ami, my brain doesn't work as fast as yours," Mina remarked, "but are you saying that in order for everything to be complete, we have to somehow restore these...people?"

"But, we're the ones who killed them," Mako argued, "it doesn't seem to make sense to undo that."

"I want to know why they were our enemies in the first place, when they were supposed to be protecting you, Mamoru." Rei interjected.

"I think they can tell you better than I can," Mamoru answered with a gesture at the men.

The Senshi looked expectantly at the ghosts, who looked apprehensively at their leader.

"As far as I am able to understand," Kunzite's voice echoed eerily, making the Senshi shiver, "when Metallia attacked the Moon Kingdom, she had already captured the four of us, and, with her dark power she cursed us."

"When we were reborn in this life," Jedite offered, "we followed the first urge we had, which was to find Endymion-sama and protect him but -"

"But that witch got to us first." Nephrite's voice spat, if a ghost could spit.

"Which is how we ended up as shells of ourselves, practically the living dead, imbibed with her evil spirit to do her bidding." Zoicite finished hollowly.

"And now -" Mina urged.

"And now, our spirits, released by our deaths," Kunzite nodded at the Senshi, "have returned to Endymion-sama, where we endeavor to fulfill our duty still."

"That's...really sad," Mako said.

"If it's true," Rei commented.

"It all fits together," Ami spoke up, "it makes sense that, if Usagi has us, Mamoru must have someone that guards him. And since we have to continue Queen Serenity's plan, then..."

"Then we have to find a way to bring them back to life." Mina finished.

The ghosts flickered suddenly, as if in anxiety.

"No," Kunzite replied, they looked at him, startled.

"You can't bring us back," he answered.

"In the first place it isn't scientifically possible," Zoisite proffered, "not even the Crystal can restore life without a body for that life to live in."

"And in the second place," Jedite added softly, "we don't want to come back."

"I don't understand," Mina said, her brow furrowed, "why wouldn't you want to live again? You could protect Mamoru much better with bodies than you can now, surely?"

"That may or may not be true," Kunzite answered, looking at her oddly, "you see, there is no guarantee that the curse wouldn't remain, that we wouldn't still be tainted."

"And, this is the fate we deserve for our betrayal." Jedite mumbled.

"Now that's ridiculous," Rei snapped, shocking the Shitennou, "that's a stupid way to talk. So what if you deserve to stay like this forever? You have a duty and that comes before anything else."

"She's right, you know," Mina agreed cheerfully, "and besides, we need you to help us rebuild Crystal Tokyo."

The four ghosts were silent, as though communicating with each other.

Finally Kunzite said, "If it really is for the sake of the kingdom, we will do whatever we can to help you restore us."

"Even though it isn't possible," Zoisite reminded them.

"It may not be possible to restore you to life in your present shape," Ami countered him, "but if we can supply you with bodies your restoration may not be very difficult at all."

"Are you going to make bodies out of thin air?" he asked incredulously.

"No," Mina replied, a determined smile on her face that the others knew well, "you are going to help us capture your old bodies. Right, Ami-chan?"

"I think so," Ami nodded, smiling, "That must be what Setsuna has in mind. She'll send us back to when we last battled all of you."

"But, uh, didn't we die last time we went up against these guys?" Mako asked.

"That's true," Mina frowned, "We are pretty evenly matched, and they won't be as compliant in the past."

"But," Rei said suddenly, "we'll have an advantage."

"What's that?"

"You'll have us." Jedite answered, and almost smiled.

"That's true," Ami and Zoisite answered simultaneously, then stopped, looking at each other awkwardly.

"I mean," Ami replied, "if we take them with us they can give us information about themselves we didn't have last time."

"Weaknesses!" Mako exclaimed, "I've got it. It'll still be hard, though," she said doubtfully, "and won't we run the risk of meeting ourselves in the past?"

"That's true," Ami frowned, "That would definitely present a potential for causality violation."

"A what?"

"She means we'd mess up the future," Rei explained with a sigh.

"Well, when is Setsuna sending us back?" Mako asked.

"I believe that's up to us," Ami explained, "but perhaps there's another way."

She looked up at the Shitennou questioningly.

"Do you remember your last moments, before death, I mean?" she asked.

They were silent for a moment, then Jedite offered:

"I lost consciousness quite a while before my body disappeared."

"That's because Beryl put you all in some kind of case, they held your bodies but you never revived and I believe they were destroyed when the Senshi defeated Metallia." Kunzite explained.

"Ah, I'm not exactly sure how I died, all I remember is a flash of light...and...a cat?" Zosite said.

Mina giggled at this but did not care to elaborate on the joke.

"Do you have an idea, Ames?" she queried hopefully.

The petite Senshi didn't disappoint.

"Instead of attempting to capture them and creating a causality violation or disrupting the space-time continuum, I suggest that we each pick the point just before death and, in effect – er..."

"Rescue the Shitennou?" Mako asked gleefully.

"Yes," Ami answered.

"Brilliant as always," Mina pronounced, "Alright then, Senshi, choose your damsel and we'll plan a rescue tonight."

"I don't know how I feel about this," Zoisite remarked nervously, "what if something goes wrong? What if you get hurt?" he addressed Ami particularly, "I can't protect you, swe-"

He cut off suddenly in the middle of this interesting speech, leaving the Senshi somewhat confused about his meaning.

_You can't let them know about that part of the past._ Zoisite bowed his head at his leader's harsh reminder.

_I understand._

Kunzite continued to glare at Zoisite warningly but said, "He means to say that we are, naturally, concerned that we might be responsible for the Senshi's lives, should it come to that."

"Don't worry, we can take care of ourselves," Mako laughed, "We're used to being on our own."

"Very good," Kunzite remarked coldly, "Then we are anxious to be of service to you."

_Do you think they'll choose true to form?_ he heard Nephrite's thoughts whisper to Jedite.

_They don't remember anything. I guess we'll see._

"I think," Mina considered, "that leaders should stick together, especially since I have a feeling that you'll be the hardest to rescue," she giggled, "what do you say?"

"I will abide by your decision," Kunzite replied without emotion.

"Perfect," Mina declared, "Girls, pick your dead guardians, figure out where - er - _when_ we're going first and get some sleep."

With this she scooped up the pink rock and slipped it in her pocket.

"Goodnight," she called.

The other Senshi stood facing the Shitennou's ghosts with mingled looks of apprehension, reticence and wariness.

"Um, I think I was the one who fried you," Mako offered awkwardly, "but how about we team up?"

Nephrite glowed brighter for a moment before hard looks from his companions dimmed him.

"Whatever you want," he answered and faded out as Mako put him in her pocket. She felt relieved, having made her choice, and bustled out of the room with a wave to the other two.

"Uh, I really don't care, Ami," Rei sighed, "just pick one and let's go, I'm tired."

"I don't know who to pick," Ami said shyly, she didn't want to hurt either of the ghosts' feelings.

Rei rolled her eyes.

"You," she said, pointing to Jedite, "I killed you, didn't I?"

"Well, technically -"

"Whatever," Rei snapped, "I owe you one anyway, so we'll call it even." She plucked him up off the bed and stored the rock in her purse.

"Oh, well, um, I'm going to pick you up now," Ami warned the last Shitennou.

"OK," he replied, smiling for some reason as he vanished.

Ami clutched the rock in her fist and glanced at Mamoru, who'd dozed off quite a while ago. She called Usagi to let her know where her fiance was, covered him with a blanket and left the key to his apartment under the door where Usagi would find it later.

* * *

That night, Mako lay in bed with the glowing rock in her hand, fully transformed and ready for Setsuna's power to send her into the past. She had a fairly good idea of when Nephrite's death occurred and what she should be on the lookout for. He had briefed her well, even letting her know about certain things to watch for in the manner and nature of his own attacks. She let out a long sigh and tried to go to sleep. In her hand the rock glowed faintly. 

_How is everything?_ Kunzite's voice wavered in Nephrite's 'mind'.

_She's sleeping, she looks so...peaceful._ he answered softly.

_That wasn't what I asked_, his leader snapped, _You need to focus on the mission at hand. It is your responsibility to guide her through this safely._

_And then?_ Jedite's voice echoed. _What happens when we are restored? What will we do?_

_We will do our duty and protect Endymion-sama_.

_That's not what I meant._ Jedite countered.

_I know what you meant._ Kunzite's voice sighed in their heads. _You must all put the past behind you._

_It's not that easy._ Zoisite's voice reverberated thinly.

_I know._

As she lay on her bed, Rei frowned in the darkness at her ceiling. She could see the stone pulsing by her side with a faint glow. She shook her head in frustration - nothing about this mission seemed right. Enemies as allies? Saving the men they'd helped to kill? Something felt wrong - she was missing some piece of the puzzle.

"I have a bad feeling about this." she whispered and closed her eyes.

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

_

* * *

_

_Foreshadowing_ -

**Chapter Two**

"Glad everyone could make it," Mina, or rather, Sailor Venus, chirped as she stretched her arms and legs and yawned.

"Where are we?" Makoto whispered.

They stood in a hallway, dimly lit, with arch ways in the design of Greek and Roman pillars; a soft wind blew through the hall, ruffling Rei's hair. The four stones buzzed and the ghosts appeared, glowing faintly.

"Welcome, " Nephrite's ghost said, " to what used to be the Golden Kingdom, and which is now -"

"Hell." Kunzite finished quietly.

"This is where I died," Jedite whispered, "in a few moments you will see an explosion of light and fire and fog."

"That's right," Ami nodded, "I remember, you captured Rei and brought her here, then when we attacked you you tried to use Rei as a shield."

"Yes," he flickered unhappily, "that's right."

"So what's the plan?" Mako asked, "How are we going to get between evil Jedite and...ourselves?"

"Um," Mina started, then scratched her head.

"You don't have a plan!?" Rei hissed in disbelief.

"Hey, I'm making it up as I go," Mina defended herself, "Setsuna, as usual, didn't exactly give us much to go on."

"Oh great!" Rei growled.

"Shh!" Ami shushed them frantically, "They're coming!"

"You mean, we're coming." Rei spat, jerking Makoto out of the way.

They hid in the corner of the hall as a flash of white light that was typical of Sailor Moon and a fog that was definitely Mercury's poured out from the room.

They heard muffled voices, Rei's and Ami's and Usagi's screams and shouts rang through the hall.

"We can't just stand here, we're going to miss our chance!" Mako exclaimed.

"Ami?" Mina asked through gritted teeth.

"Uh..." Ami closed her eyes, her brain working faster than it ever had, "we could...no..no..I...I..."

"I'm going to die in three seconds!" Jedite screeched.

"You're already dead!" Rei barked. She launched herself toward the door.

"Stop!" Mina yelled. The other Shitennou suddenly appeared.

"I can't take this anymore!" Kunzite growled, "Zoisite, create a barrier around the Senshi; Nephrite – grab Jedite and restrain him; Jedite -"

"Uh, we can't, sir," Zoisite pointed out, "we don't have hands."

"Damn!" Kunzite thundered.

"Kunzite?" a voice came from the other room; it was strained and in pain.

"Huh?"

"It's the real Jedite!" Ami said in surprise.

"I need help!" the voice called.

"Uh," Kunzite looked a bit uncertain.

"Tell him you'll help him!" Mina whispered.

"I'm in here!" Kunzite cried.

"I'm coming!"

"He' leaving!" Ami heard herself yelling.

The living Jedite burst through the door, his cape and uniform badly singed. When he saw the Senshi, two of whom he'd just escaped from, he tried to stop but his slick boots skidded down the hall.

"Grab him!" Mina commanded, and lept bodily onto Jedite, slamming him onto the floor.

"What the hell!?" He wheezed.

"Jupiter!"

Mako grabbed his arms and wrenched them behind his back.

"Look out!" Ghost Jedite yelled, "He's – I mean – I'm about to -"

Mako blasted Jedite point blank effectively knocking him unconscious.

"Stop us!" Mina screamed to Rei and Ami.

Rei blasted fire back at herself, Ami filled the hall with bubbles, confusing her former self and Sailor Moon.

"Now what?!" They yelled.

Mina looked around wildly.

"Uh-oh," Ghost Zoisite mumbled, "I hear more footsteps!"

"We've got to get out of here, Venus!" Rei shrieked.

"Well, I'm trying!" Mina lurched to her feet with Jedite's limp body, as Mako grabbed his feet, Rei hoisted his torso and they drunkenly staggered down the hall while Ami tried to contact Setsuna.

"Why are you so heavy?" Rei grumbled. To her surprise Jedite's ghost didn't reply.

"We've got him!" She yelled into the communicator they now shared with the Outers, "Open a portal or something, for goodness sake-"

"Turn! Turn!" Mina screamed, the three of them lurching down the hall to the right as a very alive Nephrite flew down the passage the way they'd come.

"There!" Ghost Nephrite yelled, trying to point to a black portal like the one they'd used that morning.

* * *

Tumbling head long into the blackness, Mina, Rei, Mako and Jedite's limp body fell through the portal as it closed. 

All sound stopped, then they were dropped unceremoniously into the parking-lot of a bridal shop.

The Senshi shook themselves and rose, though Jedite was still unconscious.

"Everyone alright?" Mina asked, patting her torn fuku.

"Yeah, just peachy," Rei snarled, "this is by far the stupidest thing we've ever done!!"

"Where's Jedite?" Mako asked.

"He's on the ground in front of you," Rei remarked, jabbing a finger at the prone man.

"No," Mako argued tersely, "I mean the other one."

"Isn't he here?" Mina asked, looking around her as if ghost Jedite was hiding under her feet.

Then she saw the cracked stone beside her foot.

"Oh, no!" She moaned, "I killed it!"

"Um, I hate to be argumentative," Zoisite appeared, "but you really can't crush a stone like that with your bare heels."

"Why did it crack?" Rei puzzled, "Is he dead?"

"I can still feel him," Nephrite commented, "close, but -"

"I think he's there." Zoisite pointed a translucent hand at the unconscious Dark Kingdom servant.

"Hey, he went back to his body?" Mako asked, "we must be doing something right."

She grinned, but soon her grin faded.

"Where's Ami?"

There was silence for a solid minute.

"Oh, shi-"

"Ami!!!" Zoisite began to freak out.

"I can't believe this!" Rei shouted and promptly incinerated the sign on the Bridal Shop door.

* * *

Somewhere within the under belly of the Dark Kingdom, Ami wandered in the dark trying to find her way out. She found an arch that led to a deeper cavern. The air was stale and rancid, but she reasoned that, however long she had to wait here, no one would find her in so hidden a place. That was when she saw a faint glow. Creeping toward a curtain she peeped through. 

"Oh, no," she started to tremble at what she saw.

* * *

"Wait a minute," Mako interrupted Rei's temper tantrum, "I recognize this place." 

They all turned to stare at the Bridal Shop.

"This is where we fried Nephrite," she finished.

"Great," Mina commented, her tone was somewhat dampened from it's usual cheeriness, probably because Rei was still heaping blame on her.

"Well, fearless leader," Rei snipped, "what is your brilliant plan?"

"Rei, cut out the attitude out," Mina ordered, "it's not helping."

Rei looked furious but she didn't reply.

"Let's see, you used mannequins to lure me here - and a bride that was your shadow...right?" Mako asked the floating Nephrite ghost.

"Yes," he answered, "I'm probably already in there with you and the other Senshi should be -"

"It's over here!" they heard Rei's voice shout from the street.

"Hide!" Mina commanded. They bolted through the back entrance of the shop and crept into the show room. It was covered in strange looking mannequins, dressed in bridal veils.

"Here," Mina shoved a veil onto Rei's head.

"Ow!" she muttered, "What are you doing?"

"I've got an idea," Mina said, "Mako, put a veil on." She then wrapped a piece of material around her head. Then, crawling as softly and stealthily as she could, she made her way to the corner of the shop where she could see a spooky looking bride confronting Sailor Jupiter.

"On my count," Mina hissed to the others, "Mako, you knock him out like you did with Jedite -"

"That's not him, though," Mako whispered, "Nephrite won't appear until I kill his shadow."

"She's right," Nephrite agreed.

"Rats."

There was a sudden scream and they saw Jupiter powering up to blast the shadow - which she did in less than a second.

Right on cue, Nephrite appeared and as he furiously challenged Sailor Jupiter, Mako snapped her fingers.

"I've got it," she said, "I'm about to blind him, when I do, we'll grab him before I hit him with the other attack."

"Ok,"she said without waiting to hear their answers, "One, t- oh, crap, now!" she hurled herself between herself and Nephrite as Mina and Rei jumped on Nephrite's back, clinging on for dear life and praying they wouldn't be electrocuted. Fortunately the Jupiters performed identical attacks on each other, knocking each other back against opposite walls. In a split second Rei and Mina wrestled the totally surprised Nephrite over the top of the sales counter, and they all fell in a heap behind it.

"Mako, are you alright?" Zoisite yelled. Nephrite's ghost had disappeared, the stone lying cracked on the table counter.

Mako shook her head and got to her feet woozily. Her hair was standing out all over her head.

She stumbled and fell on top of Nephrite, instantly transferring the electricity in her body into his. He yelped and passed out.

Unfortunately he'd already managed to blast Mina and Rei into the counter. They pulled themselves up groggily.

"Remind me why we're doing this?" Mina groaned.

The sound of voices close by forced them to the floor where they half crawled, half dragged Nephrite's body out the back door.

Once in the back parking-lot, they took a look at each other.

"You don't look so good," Zoisite commented bluntly.

"This coming from a guy who doesn't have a real body." Mina muttered.

"Alright, Setsuna," Rei panted into the communicator, "let's-"

Before she could finish, the Senshi, Nephrite and Jedite disappeared.

* * *

"Guys!" Ami whispered frantically into her communicator for the thirieth time. She had just seen the face of pure evil: she had looked into Metallia's cavern. 

Unable to make a connection, she stood up shakily and made her way out of the passage. Her face was pale and her breathing unsteady, and she kept her hand on the wall to help her stay upright. As she followed the twisting passages into the hallway, she noted the change in the air. Here, though there was no natural light source, the air smelled fresher and felt lighter. She went a few more steps and found a door that was unlocked.

Carefully entering, making sure there were no nasty surprises in the form of Dark Kingdom servants on the other side, she crept in and peered cautiously inside. She let out a gasp at what she'd found.

She realized, for the first time with something akin to hope, that she'd inadvertantly stumbled upon the one thing that could have cheered her up:

the Library.

Hungrily she devoured the sight of the gigantic shelves of books. As she took another step into the room she heard a sigh and imediately jumped into the shadows near the closest shelf.

"Is that you, Kunzite?" a thin voice asked.

Ami mentally cringed. She recognized Zoisite's voice. She cleared her throat and muttered something in a low voice.

"Oh, you're one of the servants, aren't you?" he asked in a bored tone and after a moment, Ami guessed that he must have returned to whatever he was doing.

_Arrogant twit_, she thought angrily, then turned to look at the books nearest her. Glancing across the titles one arrested her attention. It was called - _A History of the Golden Kingdom_.

_Beryl must never have come down here_, Ami thought in surprise, taking the giant tombe and blowing the dust off it. Intrigued, and because she knew she had a lot of time to kill until the Senshi would return to the Dark Kingdom, - _if they return, _she thought grimly - she decided she might as well make the most of it. She carried the book to the furthest chair and, making herself as small as possible, she settled down to read it.


	3. Chapter 3

_Foreshadowing:_

**Chapter Three** -

* * *

The three remaining Senshi, plus the inert bodies of two Dark Kingdom servants, hit the pavement of yet another parking lot (this time a wet, muddy one in the gathering gloomy dark of a rain drenched sky) with a thud that left most of them reeling. 

"You know," Makoto staggered to her feet, "if they get thrown around much more I think they're gonna have some serious brain damage."

She nudged the closest Shitennou, who happened to be Nephrite, with her boot. He had a bruise developing on his forehead from where his body had landed on the pavement.

"Who cares about them?" Rei muttered, shaking herself, "We'll be the ones with brain damage – I'm sure no one was meant to travel through time this sporadically."

"I don't know how Pluto does it," Mina murmured, rubbing her bottom from where she had landed rather suddenly.

"Don't you think we should go rescue Ami first?" Zoisite's ghost asked as it appeared through the rain.

"We can't-" Mina snapped, "We were just lucky I happened to be holding you instead of her when she got left behind."

"Oh, for crying out- We aren't going to abandon her," Mina continued, seeing Zoisite's treacherous face flicker in front of her, muttering curses, "We have to complete the mission first. Then we'll go back and get her, I promise. She's probably fine."

"Anyway," Rei added suspiciously, "Why do you care so much?"

"Because -"Zoisite began rudely.

"Because he's worried about his promise to Serenity and Endymion-sama to bring all of you back unharmed." Kunzite broke in sternly, and if he could have he would have kicked Zoisite. As it was he settled for a scowl in the younger man's direction.

Zoisite flicked his ghostly hair over his shoulder and turned up his see-through nose.

"So what's the plan?" Makoto asked, shielding her eyes from the rain.

"Let's see," Mina began, "um...I think we should wait until we see Zoisite holding Sailor Moon, and then -"

"Listen," Kunzite broke in heavily, "I have stood by and tried not to interfere with the way you run things here, but up until this moment you have had a staggering run of sheer dumb luck to get you through this mission. But you are dealing with myself and Zoisite now, and you can't afford any mistakes. He won't be that easy to capture or surprise."

"I should know," he added, rather smugly, "I trained him."

"Well aren't we modest?" Makoto muttered under her breath.

"So what would you suggest?" Mina asked primly. She crossed her arms across her chest and waited.

"I think the idea of waiting to capture me when I've got Sailor Moon is good," Zoisite began, "I can teach you how to break through the shield like that cat did. But the conundrum comes when we must decide how to dispatch me without letting yourselves see you there, because they'll all be focused on me and Sailor Moon."

"Good point," Makoto sighed, "We'll..."

"Hold on," Rei snapped her fingers, "Why don't we wait and burst through the shield at the same time Artemis does, then I can push Sailor Moon out of the way, and you and Jupiter can grab Zoisite."

"But what about the Crescent Beam?" Mina asked, doubtfully, "And won't we still see ourselves?"

"Well, then you can catch your stupid Crescent Beam boomerang and send it back to yourself, can't you?"

"I suppose," Mina answered skeptically, "But that still doesn't -"

"I can use Flower Hurricane to blind them – us," Makoto spoke up, "like I did with Nephrite."

"Ok."

"Be careful of my knives," Zoisite mentioned, "if they cut you they'll infect you with dark energy."

"You are a sneaky little -"

"Mars," Mina interrupted, "it's time, there he is." She pointed at the figure of Zoisite holding Sailor Moon on the roof of the nearby Rental Shop; as they watched, they saw themselves appear in front of the group, then Zoisite's shield manifested itself around him and Sailor Moon and the Senshi scattered as their attacks bounced back at them.

Mina, Makoto and Rei climbed the tree behind the Rental Shop roof, angling to get out on the tree branch that hung closest to the roof.

"Now," Zoisite's ghost whispered, "Use your Crescent Beam to cut that tiny hole you see behind my head, that's the weak spot."

"Got it," Mina muttered, and took aim. The minute she said the words to her attack a white cat bounded from a nearby tree and sailed through the force-field it thought was there to land in a heap on the other side.

"Sorry, Artemis," Mina giggled under her breath.

"Flower Hurricane!" Jupiter screamed.

"No! Not yet-" Mina shouted frantically.

In the process of launching themselves from the roof they were suddenly blinded by a flash and a strong wind whirling around them.

Mina collided with something warm and taller than she, Rei nearly fell off the building but scrambled back up, grabbing a booted leg and hurling Sailor Moon toward the reeling past Senshi. She went flying and knocked them all over like bowling pins.

A whirring noise and a pain in her side alerted Rei to the fact that no one had yet caught the Crescent Beam boomerang.

"Venus!" she shrieked.

"I can't see it!" Mina yelled, "Just run for it!"

"Mina!?" Artemis called, "What are you doing!?"

"Who are you!?" Zoisite's voice yelled, "Get off of me!" With a surge of power he pushed all of them off except Mina. She clung to his neck and saw her boomerang come flying toward their heads.

"Duck you idiot!" She screeched, and flung all her weight backward so that they both fell off the roof and landed in a heap on the parking-lot cement.

Rei and Makoto rushed over to them, narrowly avoiding the boomerang as it continued to cut holes through the air.

"Mina? Are you alright?"

"You stupid Senshi!" a shrill voice wailed.

"That's not Mina," Makoto remarked and she and Rei ducked under a sudden blast of dark energy.

As they rolled, they saw that Mina was lying unconscious on the ground from where she had cushioned Zoisite's fall.

Jupiter made another Flower Hurricane while Rei blasted Zoisite's feet – making his boots and uniform catch on fire. He immediately began rolling on the ground to put himself out and Jupiter grabbed the first thing she could lay hands on, flinging it at his head. A rock collided solidly with Zoisite's face and he slumped to the ground as the rock, which had held his ghost, cracked and disintegrated.

"We have to get out of here!" Makoto growled to Rei.

"How are we going to move four bodies by ourselves!?" Rei yelled back, her eyes were blazing.

"Just do it!" Makoto yelled, fumbling with her communicator and dragging Nephrite's booted leg under one arm, while struggling to roll Jedite into the trees.

"What a mess." Rei muttered.

She shoved Mina onto her back, and tried to pull Zoisite's limp form into the cover of the trees out of sight of the other Senshi. As she made it to the shadows the dark engulfed them all and sent them hurtling once more through time.

* * *

In the Library, Ami, having dozed off a few hours ago, was awoken by a low, deep throated chuckle. She opened her eyes sleepily, having forgotten for a moment where she was. 

"Hello, Sailor Mercury," a voice spoke smoothly, "I'm so glad to see you're enjoying the comfort of the Dark Kingdom."

_Oh, no! _Ami thought, as her stomach dropped, _you_ _idiot_!

A pair of steel grey eyes looked down at her with something like the amusement a cat has when it has cornered a baby mouse.

Before she could move a force of dark energy surrounded her, and she lost consciousness.

* * *

When they came out of the worm-hole for the last time, the Senshi and the Dark Kingdom servants didn't hit anything at all, they were floating, quite literally, in space. 

"Did we take a wrong turn?" Makoto asked.

"Ow!" Mina yelped, opening her eyes, "I feel like a baby elephant fell on my head."

"Nope, just Zoisite." Rei returned.

"Is everyone alright?" Kunzite's disembodied voice asked.

They all started violently, then sheepishly looked at one another.

His form was hardly visible at all in the vastness of Space with the light of the stars reflecting blindingly in some places, and the utter darkness of the void sucking up light in others.

"Yeah, I guess," Mina said, "so, give us a clue – how do we take down Beryl's last and best Shitennou?"

"Endymion's Shitennou," he corrected thinly, "and it won't be easy."

"No, really?" Makoto asked sarcastically. Everyone was beginning to catch Rei's bad mood. Behind them the three bodies of the Dark Kingdom Shitennou bobbed and floated like discarded puppets.

"First of all, I will put up a force-field which you cannot penetrate – it doesn't have a weak spot like Zoisite's. Secondly," he continued patiently, "I can crush you with one blow, so don't put yourselves in the line of fire. Third, at this point I lost all memories of my former self – so I am nothing more than a killing machine – in other words, shoot on sight."

"This is grim," Mina commented in a subdued tone of voice.

"Yes," Kunzite replied in kind, "your only hope will be to capture me while I am focused on Sailor Moon – if you can hit me with all of your power, it might be enough to render me unconscious."

"Might?" Makoto asked with a gulp.

"Well, it took a Planet attack to kill him the first time," Rei commented dryly, "your Thunder alone would be like a weak kick in the shins."

Makoto whistled and her eyes grew wide.

"You are in a very dangerous situation," Kunzite concluded warningly, "Unlike Jedite or Nephrite, I will not be unaware of your presence, and unlike Zoisite, I will adapt quickly and efficiently to any situation."

"In other words," Makoto grumbled, "dumb luck won't be on our side."

"Precisely."

A flash of light below them alerted them to the fact that Sailor Moon had transformed and was about to catapult herself into space.

"Alright, everyone," Mina said, "let's get ready."

* * *

Ami awoke in a dark black cell with her hands manacled to her sides. Staring at her through the bars, with a stoic expression on his face, was Kunzite. 

"Good-morning, Sailor Mercury," he said, his low voice unexpectedly soothing.

"Don't worry," he added, looking at her face, "I won't harm you. As long as you tell me what I want to know."

Ami swallowed hard.

"First, I want you to tell me why you are here in the Dark Kingdom. How did you get into the Library?"

Ami licked her lips but said nothing. Kunzite smiled as he circled the cage-like cell, and for some reason, she remembered the cage-dive she'd gone on two summers ago when she'd been invited to see the killer white sharks off the coast of California.

"Not going to tell me?" he asked quietly, "That's alright, I think I may know. Let's see. You and your friends recently destroyed Jedite, my underling. "

"At least," he added, "we can't seem to find him, so I assume he is gone. Now, the strange thing is that when I questioned Nephrite about the whole messy affair he told me that he saw the Senshi, which included you, disappear. And yet, Zoisite tells me that, no sooner had he heard Nephrite returning through the hall then he also heard someone who he thought was a servant enter the Library – smelling, as most servants do, very foul. I hope you'll excuse me, I'm sure it's not your natural odor, but when one has spent, let's say," he looked up calculating, "oh, five minutes or so in the lower regions, they tend to bring the acrid smell with them."

"Which leads me to wonder," he stopped, and lowered his head until his eyes were level with hers through the bars, "how is it that you disappeared and reappeared in the lower caverns, simultaneously?"

Ami was trembling slightly in spite of herself, but she remained firm. She couldn't devise a lie that would explain these circumstances and knew the only way to keep everything on track was to preserve silence.

"Still nothing?" he sighed, "But that's alright, I think I can even stretch my reason to explain this little problem, albeit, I find my own explanation difficult to believe. Maybe you can help me?"

"I posit," he began, pacing around the cage once more, "that, since it is impossible for you to be fighting Nephrite at this moment, - which is where you and your comrades are, according to our screens - and for you to also be trapped in this cell, that there are, in fact, two Mercuries."

"Now, as impossible as it may seem," he concluded, "that is my theory – and you will tell me why and how you have a doppleganger."

Ami was panicking, there seemed no way to answer him without alerting him to things he should know nothing about, not that he didn't already know far too much. Suddenly a searing pain flashed through her mind.

"Do you feel that?" the Shitennou asked calmly, "It will only get worse until you answer my question."

As if to prove his point he narrowed his eyes and the pain in Ami's head forced her to her knees.

"Are you going to tell me?" he asked, "Or will I have to rip the answer out of your mind?"

* * *

The Senshi assumed battle positions, powering up, holding themselves ready and watching the faint light that was Sailor Moon grow brighter as it came closer. 

"On my count," Mina said, "we will use two attacks to blind them both, then when Kunzite is focused on Sailor Moon and the other Senshi, we will combine our most powerful attacks and strike him from behind. I will alert Pluto and we will disappear as the Senshi perform the Planet attack. No one will know we were here."

"I don't think that will work, Sailor Venus," Kunzite's calm voice spoke behind her.

"What?" she asked, startled, "but I thought you just -"

"Because you see," he said, "I'm already here, and you three -"

They turned sharply to see the real Kunzite hovering in space inside his force-field, smiling at them.

"-are about to be finished. Say good-bye Sailor Senshi."

With that he launched his attack at all of them, catching them in a tremendous bubble of dark energy, and sending them hurtling toward the Earth.

At that moment a small rock which had floated unnoticed by Kunzite burst into light as it made contact with his shoe. Sailor Moon appeared, as did the other scouts, and while he was distracted for that one moment, the Senshi powered up their Planet attack, meaning to wipe him from the face of the universe.

As the energy hurtled toward him it engulfed him and the other three Shitennou in a radiant white beam – suddenly he almost saw clearly for a moment, and remembered who he really was. With a desperate cry he tried to say something to the Senshi but as the killing blast came toward him a black hole swallowed up all the Shitennou.

* * *

With a groan, Mina opened her eyes to find herself in a dark cage with solid bars encasing the entire structure. 

"Mars! Jupiter!" she cried.

"We're here," she heard Makoto's weak voice answer from the gloom.

"G-guys?"

Mina whipped her head around and peered frantically toward the sound of the voice. In the dark gloom she saw Mercury's pale, bruised face looking at her with pathetic hope.

"Y-you're here," she coughed.

"Mercury!" Rei nearly screamed, "Are you alright?!"

"I think so," the small Senshi whispered, "But there's something I have to tell you-"

"Well, this is touching," a silky, dulcet voice intoned. It sent shivers down their spines. From the darkness Mina could see two glowing eyes staring at her.

"Kunzite was correct," Beryl said with a chuckle, "as usual. It seems I should have believed him when he said there were two groups of Senshi running around."

"But what to do with you?" she asked herself, smiling.

"You can shove-" Rei started.

"Suggestions won't be necessary, Sailor Mars." There was a loud bang, and Mars yelped in pain.

"Let's see," suddenly Beryl clapped her hands together, "I know. I'm sure you'll all be sad to hear that my four marvelous Shitennou were recently taken from me by Sailor Moon," her face suddenly looked murderous, "I now have four new openings for Dark Kingdom servants."

"No," Ami whimpered. _What have I done?_

Beryl ran her long nailed hands across the bars of the cages.

"I need someone who can help me defeat the Senshi once and for all. Some who can break through their attacks, get inside their heads. - And I really think you four were made for the job."

She laughed a long, hard, sharp laugh that slit the dank air.

"We'll never help you!" Mina yelled suddenly, her eyes lit up in fury and disgust, "And there's nothing you can do to make us."

"That's very funny," Beryl sighed, "because, you see..."

She faced them all with a malignant smile.

"That's exactly what the Shitennou said."

* * *

Whew! That's a lot of story plot. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:**For those of you who haven't read _Light Fantastic_, here is some information you might find useful for this chapter. In coming up with the Shitennou characters for this story and _LF_, I drew heavily from the original Buddhist mythology (which accounts for the weird names you will find in here) and also from Spirit Hime's amazing website _Peppermint Storm_. Just to give you an idea of what is going on in this chapter! Thanks. _

* * *

_

_Foreshadowing:_

**Chapter Four - **

* * *

The intensity of light created a blindness like that of being in the womb.

"They're back!" a mellifluous voice above them yelled.

The leader squinted his eyes open, and found himself staring at a turquoise headed woman, dressed in a fuku, holding a mirror and watching him warily.

In a moment two men ran into the room, one with blond hair, the other with black hair, - the black haired man looked familiar.

"Endymion-sama." the white haired man breathed.

"Well," the blond man, who it seemed was actually a vaguely androgynous looking woman in a pant suit, commented, "It looks like they are cured."

"Yes, it would seem so," the turquoise haired woman replied, but she frowned as the other men sat up groggily rubbing their heads.

"Wh-where are we?" the blond man asked. He tried to focus on the room around him but as soon as he saw Mamoru he froze.

The other two came around a bit more slowly, but when the youngest of the men saw Mamoru he flung himself on top of him.

"You're alive!" he cried out joyfully, choking Mamoru in his death grip, "I missed you so much!"

"Uh, I...cant..." Mamoru struggled.

"Get a hold of yourself, Zochokuten," the white haired man commanded. The younger man released Mamoru instantly.

"Thanks!" Mamoru inhaled, rubbing his neck.

"What did you call him?" a tall, garnet eyed woman asked the white haired man.

"My name is Zochokuten," the young man replied instead, "I'm a Shitennou, the king of the West."

"Oh, no." Setsuna rolled her eyes.

"I knew this would happen," she muttered to herself, as the others watched her in astonishment, "I just hoped it wouldn't and now we're in this mess. This is ridiculous! I have half a mind to just age Hotaru and tell her to-"

She stopped as she realized everyone was watching her. She took a moment to compose herself.

"We have a problem," she spoke clearly, "the Shitennou, doubtless due to the number of times they've been brainwashed and un-brainwashed, have lost their memories yet again. Or at least," she added, doubtfully, "it seems they remember very little indeed."

"You mean, they don't know who they are?" Haruka asked.

"Not exactly," Setsuna answered in an exasperated tone, "As far as I can tell, they remember they are the last guard the prince had – which means they've reverted to their original personalities, but I don't think they have a clue about the silver millennium, not to mention the Dark Kingdom."

"Excuse me," the white-haired man interrupted, "but I'd like to know why we're here, and..." he looked around him, "where 'here' is."

"You're in the present day Tokyo, just before the Crystal era begins," Setsuna explained.

"Mamoru, that's Endymion's name," she added, "is the future king of Crystal Tokyo, and Usagi, princess Serenity, is his Queen. We are the future guardians of Crystal Tokyo."

"And we are the guardians of Endymion-sama," the blond man added.

"We know." the three women chorused.

Mamoru looked bewildered.

"I don't mean to interrupt, but," he looked at Setsuna worriedly, "where are the Senshi?"

Setsuna stared at him blankly.

"They didn't come back?" she asked in a quiet, dangerous tone.

"I don't think so."

Setsuan whirled on the men.

"What happened before you came here?" she demanded, "Tell me everything you remember!"

"Uh," the man formerly known as Jedite said, "I was...I think a girl dressed like her," he pointed at Michiru, "jumped on top of me."

The dark brown haired man sniggerd into his sleeve.

"And you?" Setsuna pinned him down with a glare.

"I don't know," he shrugged, "I think I got electrocuted. My hair's still frizzy."

"What about you?"

"Someone hit me in the face with a rock," Zochokuten, or whatever his name was, whined.

"And it better not leave a scar!" he added angrily.

Haruka gagged.

"And you?"

"I saw five women dressed like you," the leader pointed at Michiru, "throwing some kind of energy at me, then darkness overwhelmed me and I woke up here."

Setsuna sat down heavily on the chair in Michiru and Haruka's library and put a hand to her head.

Without opening her eyes and continuing to massage her temples she said:

"Listen, I'm going to go back to the past, just after they ended up here, and I'm going to see if I can find the Senshi -"

"I think we've got another problem!" Michiru said suddenly, she held her cell phone to her shoulder.

"I just got a call from Luna," she explained, "she said Usagi's disappearing."

There was a shocked silence.

"What!?" Mamoru shouted, jumping up out of his seat and sprinting toward the table with his phone.

"Hold on a minute," Haruka said, "what do you mean she's disappearing?"

Michiru listened to the voice on the other end for a tense moment then shook her head and replied:

"Luna says she's lying on the couch at Mamoru's apartment and that her fingers are becoming transparent...and that's not a figure of speech."

"I have to get over there right now," Mamoru worried as he turned toward the door.

The four men on the ground jumped up and ran after him.

"Wait!" they called.

"Come on, we're all going," Setsuna ordered. Haruka and Michiru looked at each other, shrugged, and went to get Hotaru.

"This day can't get any worse," Haruka commented. Michiru rolled her eyes.

* * *

Beryl surveyed her handiwork. For a whole night she'd kept the Senshi in glass cases that looked like coffins, pouring dark energy in a steady stream into their bodies and minds. It was a large amount of energy usage, but if her plan worked it would be worth the sacrifice.

She smiled as she considered how useful it would be to have her own army to countermand Sailor Moon's trick for trick. The brainwashing process was nearly complete, all she had to do was channel Metallia's power and create the stones that would allow her to control the Senshi. She didn't understand exactly how the process worked (since she herself had willingly undergone a similar operation) – but she didn't have to know the details to appreciate the results.

Stopping the flow of energy into the Senshi, she opened the first glass case, which happened to be Mercury's, and put her hand over the girl, summoning Metallia's power.

A dark blue stone appeared, with swirling tones inside it, just above the Senshi's forehead. With a flash of light the stone vanished above Mercury, and her dark blue eyes opened. They were a shade darker than before.

Beryl smiled and went to the next case. Above the figure of Mars a vibrant red stone appeared, smooth and clear, and vanished into the girl. When her eyes opened they were glazed over.

Beryl repeated this process with the other two Senshi, a pale green stone appeared above Jupiter and a bright yellow stone with swirling colors appeared above Venus.

When the process was done, Beryl leaned against the wall, catching her breath. It had taken more energy than she'd thought to force the Senshi's hearts and minds into submission, but the process was completed.

"Generals," she command in a raspy voice, "I command you to rise and do your mistress's bidding."

As one the Senshi sat up and climbed out of their coffins. Their uniforms had changed slightly, altered by the dark energy around them. The white of the uniforms was now a solid gray, though the bows and skirts remained the same. Mina's blue eyes had turned an odd golden color.

"Tell me your names," Beryl ordered.

"Azurite."

"Vanadinite."

"Amazonite."

"Atlantasite."

The Senshi's voices rang through the empty, dimly lit hall.

Beryl's smile grew.

"Whom do you serve?" she barked out.

"Her Majesty, Queen Beryl," they chorused.

"And what," Beryl asked, her eyes beginning to glow, "is your mission?"

"To destroy the Senshi," Amazonite said, stretching her fingers in anticipation as sparks of electricity tingled between them.

"To capture the Crystal," Azurite exclaimed, her eyes as cold as ice.

"To kill the Moon Princess," Vanadinite murmured while the gloves of her hands started to spark.

"To take the universe in Metallia's name!" Atlantisite finished, a flare of light glinting from her golden hair and eyes as she looked on Beryl.

"Servants," Beryl said softly, "It is time."

She opened a portal into Tokyo and the new Senshi disappeared through it with sound of her laughter echoing in their ears.

* * *

"Usa," Mamoru exclaimed as he bent over her where she lay weakly on his living room couch.

"How do you feel?"

"Shaky," Usagi replied, "I feel cold and shaky and...too light. Could you bring me plate of spaghetti or a cheeseburger?"

Mamoru bit down on the urger to smile and shook his head.

"I don't think you could eat it, even if I fed it to you. You're fading away, Usako." He tried to brush his fingers across her forehead but they passed alarmingly through her skull.

Usagi started to cry.

"I don't want to disappear," she sobbed, while her tears vanished on her cheeks.

"Don't cry, sweetheart," he murmured, "I'm here. I won't let you disappear."

"Who will rescue the Senshi?"

"Don't worry, we'll bring them back," he said soothingly, but he was close to breaking down himself. He moved aside to let Luna stand watch over Usagi and walked over to where Setsuna and the others were congregating in his living room.

He startled them by punching his kitchen wall.

"I can't stand this," he said in a barely restrained voice, "I can't stand my own uselessness."

"Endymion-sama," Tamoten - formerly Kunzite - began, "you musn't -"

"We have to do something, Setsuna," Mamoru ordered, "you must have some idea of why this is happening."

"I think I do," she replied, "and it may have to do with the Senshi themselves."

"Let's hear it," he replied. He and the Shitennou waited.

"The fact that Usagi is disappearing leads me to believe that something has occurred in the past that is altering events, in other words, a causality violation is about to take place – or, has already taken place."

"Come again?" Komokuten – Nephrite – asked.

"She means that something important has been changed in the past, and it's affecting the future." Zochokuten explained patiently.

"In light of the fact that the Senshi were somehow left behind, I can only assume the problem lies in their own disappearances, in fact, I'm afraid they may be in extreme danger."

"So, what do we do?" Mamoru pursued. He began to transform into his alter ego.

Setsuna eyed him squarely.

"Against my better judgment," she began, "I have no choice but to send you, Haruka and Michiru back to the moment I brought the Shitennou into the present, to find out what happened to the Senshi and to rescue them."

Mamoru nodded, determinedly.

"If I might make a suggestion," Tamoten spoke up, "there is no need for Endymion-sama's life to be put in danger, nor anyone else's'," he added, looking at Haruka and Michiru.

"We," he concluded, "are more than willing to rescue the Senshi by ourselves."

"But you don't know anything about the past," Michiru argued, "you won't know what to look for, or where to go."

"You can tell us."

"No," Mamoru said quietly, and they all turned to look at him. His demeanor had changed, he had a sudden air of command.

"I will go into the past to rescue the Senshi, accompanied by my Shitennou. The rest of you stay here and guard Usagi."

They recognized the order; the Outers looked mildly displeased while the Shitennou were nearly beside themselves with excitement.

"Are you sure about this, Mamoru-sama," Setsuna asked, respectfully, "we cannot afford to lose you."

She looked at him almost wistfully.

"We cannot afford to lose anyone, Setsuna," he answered quietly, "not if we want to save Crystal Tokyo."

She nodded.

"Get ready then," she said.

Mamoru went to the couch and brushed his lips against the air that was Usagi's cheek.

"Don't worry, we'll be back before you know it." he told her.

"Be careful," she whispered.

He nodded then went to take his place by the Shitennou. In a swift flash they were gone.


	5. Chapter 5

_Foreshadowing:_

**Chapter Five - **

* * *

"You know what you're supposed to do?" A blond with searing gold eyes asked the girl with jet black hair beside her. 

The girl nodded, snapping her fingers and causing the tip of her glove to ignite.

"Good. Azurite, is everything prepared?" The blond spoke into a black communicator.

"Yes," came a cold, passionless voice, "Amazonite and I are in place and ready."

"Excellent," Atlantasite smiled.

"Let the games begin," she murmured.

Instantly the top floor of the second largest building in Tokyo burst into flames. Inside the room, Vanadinite, her black hair blowing around her serene face, walked un-hurriedly to the next floor and lit it on fire. She proceeded down through each level, lighting fire after fire until the entire building was a raging inferno.

She exited the building on the seventh floor, leaping to the nearby roof top of a jewelry store. There her commander waited for her, hands on hips, looking pleased as the fire light played across her face.

"That ought to get their attention," she remarked with a chuckle. She and Vanadinite watched the building become a signal flare that might be seen on the other side of the world, so intense was the heat and light caused by the flames. Suddenly a fire-truck hove into view.

"Tsk, Tsk," Atlantasite clucked, "We can't have them ruining all your hard work."

Vanadinite's mouth turned up in a snarl. She raised a hand toward the fire-fighters but Atlantasite checked her with a finger.

"I've got a better idea," she said and clicked on her communicator again.

"Azurite," she said, "I have a little job for you."

She explained about the fire-fighters who were already in the process of hooking up the hose to the nearby fire-hydrant.

"I'll take care of it," the icy voice replied.

"Good," Atlantasite clicked the communicator shut and turned to watch in anticipation. As the firemen aimed the hose a jet of water burst out of the hose toward the building – and froze solid before it got within ten feet, it's weight causing the hose to crash onto the side walk. The dumbfounded firemen scattered away from the hose and the flames, taking cover in the trees of the nearby park.

From their perch on the roof top, Atlantasite and Vanadinite shared a laugh at the fleeing firemen.

"This is fun," Atlantasite commented, "and look, here come our girls now."

Looking where she pointed, Vanadinite saw five women running toward the flame consumed building.

"That's our cue," Atlantasite quipped, and with a graceful leap she landed with Vanadinite in front of the building, between it and the five women.

"Greetings Senshi!" she said, "So glad you could come!"

"Who are you!?" Sailor Moon yelled, "Are you Dark Kingdom servants?"

The women laughed. They had their backs to the fire so it was impossible for the Senshi to see them clearly.

"We are the top servants of the Dark Kingdom," Atlantasite pronounced gleefully, "and we are after the Crystal. Hand it over Sailor Moon."

"Never! Give me back my prince!"

"She sounds like a spoiled brat," Vanadinite commented, "Maybe we should toast them all right now."

"What did you say!?" a familiar voice yelled, "I'll teach you a thing or two about fire, you monster!"

A jet of flame came flying toward them but Vanadinite easily caught it.

She smirked, "Let me teach you something about fire," she countered and threw the Senshi's own fire back at her multiplied ten fold. The Senshi screamed and scattered, diving for the pavement.

"Enough," Atlantasite ordered, "we are wasting time. Let's go."

With that she and Vanadinite turned and ran toward the warehouse at the back of the burning building.

"Follow them!" they heard Sailor Venus cry out.

Atlantasite smirked. Everything was going perfectly according to plan.

* * *

When Mamoru appeared in the past, he wasn't sure for a moment exactly where he was. The Shitennou materialized beside him, all in their uniforms (which had changed subtly to reflect their new allegiance) 

and they seemed to be examining their surroundings thoroughly.

"Endymion-sama," Zochokuten remarked, "there is an enormous blaze to the East, look!"

Mamoru turned to see that the night sky was lit up and billowing smoke.

"Well that's definitely not normal," he commented.

"Shall we investigate?" Tamoten suggested.

"Wait, Kunzite," Mamoru said, then fumbled with trying to remember the Shitennou's names in these new transformations.

"Look," he sighed, giving up after they'd corrected him five times, "for the sake of time, you're Tamo, you're Komo, You're Jiko and you're...Zoe."

_'Zocho' just sounds stupid_, he thought.

They looked at him with thinly disguised resentment, but accepted his nick names with obedience.

When they arrived at the blaze, Mamoru scanned the area for a sign of the Senshi. He found scorch marks on the ground and the frozen water pipe.

"This looks like them," he said, puzzled, "but I don't understand why the building is on fire or especially why this water hose is frozen."

"Women don't make much sense, my liege," Komo offered.

Mamoru was about to chide him for his chauvinist tone, but suddenly realized that there were, for once, no women around. He grinned to himself.

_I could get used to this_, he considered. The future of Crystal Tokyo suddenly looked a tad brighter.

"Stand back, my liege," Zoe answered and touched the hose which instantly thawed, and the hose itself, under the pressure of the built up water, writhed like a snake.

Jiko waved a hand toward it and it instantly stopped in mid air, spraying water in a steady stream toward the building.

Mamoru was sufficiently impressed.

"My liege," Komo called, stooping on the ground, "there are many sets of foot prints going in that direction," he pointed to the back of the building.

"Let's go!" Mamoru shouted, and the five caped men ran for the back entrance.

* * *

Inside the building the five Senshi halted uncertainly. The women they'd been following had disappeared and they seemed to be in some kind of empty warehouse. 

"Do you see anything, Mercury?" Sailor Moon whispered nervously.

"There are four people in this building." Mercury answered, looking at her computer, "but, something's not right -"

"How astute of you," said a voice just behind them. Before they could locate the speaker the room filled with a mist of fog and bubbles that were impenetrable.

"Mercury?" Venus queried in a strained voice, "did you do that?"

"No." Mercury whispered, "That's what doesn't make sense."

There was a chuckle in front of them and they turned as one, creeping closer to each other and putting Sailor Moon in the middle of their circle. They moved forward cautiously as the voice continued to chuckle.

"Now!" the voice called suddenly, ringing sharply through the thick air.

"Senshi!" Venus shouted in warning.

"Jupiter Thunder!" they heard behind them, suddenly a bolt of white hot lighting struck right at their feet knocking all of them to the floor as a cage made of pure ice enclosed them.

The fog cleared as they stood up, dazed and befuddled.

"W-what's going on?" Jupiter demanded, "I didn't do that!"

"You sure didn't." a voice drawled and, to the Senshi's astonishment, a figure who appeared to be Sailor Jupiter approached the ice prison.

"How?" Mars asked, staring wide eyed at the mirror image of Sailor Jupiter.

The other Jupiter smiled as the Senshi's expressions changed from wonder to horror – as she was joined by Vanadinite, Atlantasite, and Azurite.

"Hello, Senshi," Atlantasite spoke, "I am Atlantasite, leader of Beryl's guard. Now, you are probably very uncomfortable in there, Azurite can be a bit frosty when she feels like it, so I want you to understand that you may leave as soon as you give us the Crystal."

She waited as the Senshi recovered their composure.

Venus was the first to start the chorus of threats and promises to fight to the death. Atlantasite glanced at Amazonite and a tremendous bolt of lighting crashed through the air above them, creating a thunder clap so loud that it shook the building.

The Senshi were instantly silent.

"That's better," Atlantasite smiled, "Thank you, Amazonite. Now, it's really very simple – give us the Crystal -"

"Never!" Venus yelled furiously.

"-Or, we will kill each of you until Sailor Moon is left alone. And then we will take the Crystal ourselves."

They stared at her in silence.

"Take it," Sailor Moon said suddenly.

"No!" Mars shouted, "You can't do that!"

"Whatever happens to us," Venus countered, holding Sailor Moon by the shoulders, "You can't give her the Crystal."

"But I can't live without you guys," Sailor Moon shivered, a tear made it's way down her cheek.

"What a cry baby," Vanadinite remarked to Amazonite.

Jupiter rounded on them, placing herself up against the ice and pounding on it with her fists.

"Shut up you evil b-"

"Watch it!" Vanadinite growled, her eyes lighting up in fury. Her hands flickered with flames.

"For the last time, Senshi," Atlantasite shouted, her smile gone, "give us the Crystal!"

"I'll die first," Mercury declared solemnly, her blue eyes defiant.

"Very well, then you can go first!" Atlantasite's eyes narrowed and she focused her hands together creating a beam of light as the ice within the cube shifted to provide a barrier that effectively isolated Mercury from her frantic companions.

"Say goodbye, Mercury!"

Mercury closed her eyes as the beam of light blinded her vision, but the pain she expected never came.

Opening her eyes, she discovered she was outside of the block, being held by a blond man with a long cape.

"Zoicite!" she shrieked. He was so surprised by her reaction that he dropped her.

"Oh, sorry," he gasped, then he ducked.

"Why are you hitting me!?" he wailed, "I just saved your life!!"

"Who are they?" Atlantasite shrieked, focusing her beam on the four Shitennou surrounding Mamoru and Sailor Mercury.

"I don't know, but they're toast!" Vanadinite snarled and let lose her strongest attack straight for the group.

Tamo shoved Mamoru behind him, creating a shield around them while Zoe, Komo and Jiko fired back at the Dark Kingdom minions.

"Kill the Senshi!" Atlantasite ordered, "Grab Sailor Moon!"

Amazonite lurched forward hurtling lighting at the ice cage as Azurite caused its walls to disintegrate. The Senshi dove out of the way of her attack but were aided by another shield of Tamoten's creation.

"Endymion-sama," Tamoten began, "are these the girls we are supposed to rescue?"

"I'm not sure!" Mamoru cried, "I think so -"

"Mamoru!!!" he heard a familiar voice shriek and then hit the floor as a Sailor Moon threw herself into his arms.

"How did she break through -" Tamo began.

"I thought you were dead!" Sailor Moon wailed, cutting him off mid sentence.

"Thank you for saving the Senshi," she added to Tamoten, "even if you did try to kill us before."

"Are they on your side now?" she asked excitedly, turning back to Mamoru.

Mamoru was staring at her with an odd, calculating expression on his face.

"I don't think these are the right Senshi," he said in confusion.

He glanced at the battle raging on around him. _The Senshi in the dark uniforms, they couldn't possibly be the right Senshi, could they?_

"Hey, Jiko!" he called out, "bring us one of the Senshi in the grey uniforms."

Jiko nodded and snagged Azurite; twisting her hands behind her back he teleported both of them into the shield where Tamoten stood between Mamoru, Usagi and the writhing Azurite.

"Hey, you -" Mamoru struggled out of Sailor Moon's enthusiastic embrace and tried to peer over Tamoten's tall shoulder, "who are you?"

"It's none of your business," Azurite spat, "but I am the third in command of Queen Beryl's glorious army."

"How long have you been her servant?" he asked, not sure he could believe his ears or his eyes. _Could this possibly be Ami?_

At first Azurite refused to answer but Jiko pulled her head back and put a sword to her throat.

"Three days ago," she snarled.

Mamoru nodded in something like relief. Jiko, catching his eye, executed a swift blow to the girl's head and she crumpled in his arms.

"Ok," he said slowly, still trying to shake Sailor Moon off him, "I don't know how, and I don't know why, but the Senshi we sent back in time are fighting their past selves."

"What should we do, my liege?" Tamoten asked Mamoru, Jiko had already returned to the fray.

"Well, for starters, you can stop calling me 'liege' or Endymion-sama, or anything besides plain Mamoru," Mamoru answered, "and then you can help me figure out how to keep the Senshi from killing each other."

Outside the shield, the Shitennou were having the time of their lives. It had been close to a thousand years since they'd last fought together and though they were somewhat out of practice, their old skills were returning with a vengeance, to the misfortune of both pairs of Senshi – who had decided to attack them simultaneously.

"Hey, sweethearts," Komo addressed Mars and Vanadinite, who were trying to fry him like a moth, "are you two twins?"

"Shut up!" They screamed in tandem.

"I love twins!" he smirked as he dodged their double attacks and they both ended up frying each other. He then sent them reeling into the wall of the warehouse with a single surge of power.

"Would you quit acting like an idiot!" Zoe snapped as he dodged Vanadinite's hurtling figure.

He then screamed a very high pitched scream as Mercury sprayed him with ice cold water, making him fall to the ground drenched.

"That was cold," he whimpered, then felt his head.

"My hair!" he screeched, and lurching to his feet, he blasted fire at Mercury's computer, melting it.

Mercury gave a small squeal of frustration and rage.

"Serves you right," Zoe shouted, dodging her next attack and retaliating, "you destroyed something I love, so I destroyed something you love!"

Komo was laughing hysterically in between teleporting out of the way of Jupiter's lighting.

Jiko, calm and collected as usual, was growing rather angry trying to capture Atlantasite without hurting her too much. She'd already made a cut on his jaw from her beam.

Suddenly he was hit from behind and went down like a log.

"Sorry," he heard Zoe mutter, "that really tall Senshi was about to electrocute you."

"It's alright," Jiko coughed, "thanks."

Zoe stood and helped Jiko to his feet; the two of them stood back to back – blasting attacks at the surrounding Senshi.

"Which ones are we supposed to grab?" Zoe yelled above the noise.

"The ones in the grey uniforms."

"Are you sure?! They look pretty evil."

"Yep, I'm sure." Jiko replied, grimly.

"I sure hope Endymion-sama knows what he's doing."

Jiko let out a short laugh.

"When has that ever happened?" he asked, then caught himself for a moment. _Why did I say_ _that?_ He thought.

Atlantasite's attack caused him to forget that train of thought, as he ducked and returned fire, finally finding an opening in her defense.

"You grab the brunette, I'll grab the blond," he said, then plunged forward to wrestle Atlantasite to the ground.

"Uh," Zoe swallowed nervously, looking at the towering figure of Amazonite. She smiled nastily at him and thundered her attack.

He rolled aside, teleported behind her and pressed his thumb to her jugular, immediately rendering her unconscious.

Her dead weight dragged them both to the ground, trapping him under her.

"Komo!" he shrieked, "help!"

"A little busy!" Komo yelled back, facing down Venus and Jupiter. Jiko turned and teleported to his side and together they managed to knock the Senshi off their feet.

Komo laughed at the sight of Zoe trapped under Amazonite, but rolled her off him and picked her up. Jiko carried Atlantasite toward the forcefield while Zoe went to retrieve Vanadinite.

"Uh, that's the wrong one, Zo," Jiko commented as the young man hoisted Sailor Mars into his arms.

"What?" he sighed exasperated, and let her drop unceremoniously to the floor before picking up the other Sailor Mars in the grey fuku.

"Why are there so many of these people?" he muttered.

Once inside the shield, Mamoru approached them and checked each Senshi.

"I hope this is right," he commented, "otherwise -"

"Oh, what does it matter?" Komo remarked, "one's as good as the other -"

"Let's just get out of here," Zoe suggested, "those Senshi are gonna come after us soon."

"Mamoru!" Sailor Moon wailed from where she'd been crying on the floor near Tamoten's feet, "what's wrong with you? Why don't you remember me?"

"I've told you," Mamoru sighed, "I do remember you but I'm not the Mamoru you want -"

"Yes, you are!" she sobbed.

"I know," she said suddenly, "it's because you've been brainwashed."

"No, I told you -"

"Moon Healing -" Sailor Moon brought her scepter up and pointed it straight at the Senshi and Shitennou, but Mamoru managed to avoid it in time.

As the white light washed over them, the Senshi awoke and the black energy of Beryl's curse was ripped away from their bodies. But as the light penetrated all of them, something in their minds clicked.

"Lady Mars," Jiko breathed, dropping Minako to the ground with a bump and snatching Mars from Zoe's grasp.

"You're alive," he gazed at her worshipfully as she gazed back at him.

"My love!" Komo cried and he and Jupiter threw themselves on each other in a frenzied and exuberant display of affection.

"Can it be you?" Mina stared as Tamtoten helped her to her feet, drinking in the clear blue color of her eyes.

"Mercury," Zoe said, grinning widely and grabbed her hand. She blushed.

"I told you we'd find each other some day," he whispered.

Mamoru and Usagi watched in amazement, entranced by the scene before them, until the light from the Crystal vanished, as did the briefly restored memories.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!?" Mako cried, punching a shocked Komo in the face.

"What's your problem, lady?" he retorted, holding his jaw, "Are you a lunatic!?"

"You're the crazy one – how am I supposed to react when some weirdo jumps on me?"

"You jumped on me, you charlatan!"

"Uh, do I know you?" Ami asked, blushing furiously as she and Zoe dropped hands immediately.

"I don't think so," Zoe mumbled embarrassed.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Rei demanded.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Jiko replied stiffly.

"Excuse me," Tamoten said politely, releasing Mina's hand, "are you the leader of the Senshi?"

"Yes, I am," Mina replied warily, "but I'm a little confused right now."

"Get out!" Mamoru shouted, shoving Sailor Moon outside the shield.

She only cried louder and held on harder.

Finally he leaned down and in desperation he grabbed her shoulders and kissed her. She slackened her grip on his arms and as soon as he was able to, he broke away.

She looked up at him with a dazed expression of happiness and wonder on her face.

"You do remember me," she sighed.

"Yeah, I told you I did." he replied, then shoved her as hard as he could outside of the shield.

As he turned the Senshi and Shitennou regarded him with varying degrees of bewilderment and disapproval.

"Oh, give me a break!" he shouted.

At that moment they all disappeared.

* * *

As Mamoru rushed to Usagi's side he saw that her translucency was gone, her flesh was solid and to test this thoroughly he leaned over and promptly kissed her. 

She sighed happily with the same expression her former self had worn a few minutes, or a few years ago.

_Can a man cheat on his girlfriend with her past self?_ He wondered suddenly, uneasily. _Does that count?_

"What's wrong?" Usagi asked, noticing his frown.

"Nothing," he smiled, and kissed her forehead, "everything is as it should be."

In the back ground he could hear the Senshi and Shitennou arguing with each other over who should be allowed to stand nearest himself and Usagi.

_Well,_ he thought, _almost everything._


	6. Epilogue

_Foreshadowing_:

**Epilogue**:

* * *

"Get me some coffee."

Setsuna, looking exhausted and mildly annoyed, entered Mamoru's apartment, which was at maximum capacity.

"You can't order Endymion-sama around like that," Zoe informed Setsuna with narrowed eyes, "he is the future king of -"

"I don't care if he's the Emperor of the Universe," Setsuna snapped, shoving her mug at Mamoru, "I just spent the entire night trying to undo half the damage the four of you did to the inner workings of time. Get me some coffee!"

They blinked at her and Zoe took the cup from Mamoru, shuffling hurriedly into the kitchen.

"Was it really that bad?" Mamoru asked, making room for Setsuna beside him on the couch.

She glared at him then settled back against the cushions.

"Let's see," she began, ticking off on her fingers, "the Senshi saw their future selves, fought their future selves, saw the Shitennou alive after they'd killed them, Usagi saw you apparently free from Beryl's curse...need I go on?"

"No, no," Mamoru dropped his head, properly chastised.

"I took the cats back with me and managed to erase everyone's memories of the episode, and I also found out what happened to make the Senshi go bad."

Mamoru looked up in interest.

"They were captured by Beryl," she explained, "and Beryl, true to form, brainwashed them and enlisted them to kill...themselves, essentially."

"It's rather ironic when you think about it," she continued with a strange smile.

"But you erased their memories of that too," Mamoru replied, "so everything's back to how it was before, except now we have the Shitennou."

"Actually," Setsuna countered, "I didn't erase their memories. I decided that it would be better for everyone concerned if they all remembered that at one time they had served Beryl."

"But that's so -" Mamoru began, worriedly, "the Senshi will never forgive themselves for having betrayed Usagi, even if it was in the past -"

"Maybe so," Setsuna interrupted, "but they will be better able to forgive the Shitennou for doing the same thing."

Mamoru breathed out slowly and shook his head.

"You terrify me sometimes."

"Good," Setsuna muttered, then craned her head to look into Mamoru's kitchen from which many odd sounds were emanating.

"Where's my coffee?" she called.

There was a slight squeak, then Zoe's voice replied:

"Ah, Mamoru-sama, I can't – I don't know – you don't have a -" there was more banging and clanging and Mamoru rose slowly to head toward the kitchen.

"This is their first encounter with modern day appliances," he explained to Setsuna as he walked, "we're still getting used to everything."

"OW!"

Mamoru sprinted the last five steps into the kitchen.

Setsuna listened to him explaining to Zoe the process of instant coffee.

Then she caught the sound of the television in Mamoru's bedroom. Curious, she went to check on the noise.

To her surprise, she saw Usagi lying on her stomach on Mamoru's bed with a game controller in her hand, while the former Nephrite sat against the foot of the bed, on the floor, with the other controller. He, like Zoe, she'd noticed, was dressed in his uniform. Evidently Mamoru hadn't made the necessary arrangements for the Shitennou to amalgamate themselves into normal society yet.

"I got you!" Usagi squealed gleefully, "I totally got you!"

"That wasn't fair," Komo growled, "you can't hit a man while his back is turned! What kind of game is this!?"

He raised his hand to throw the controller on the ground.

"Stop." Setsuna glanced up to see Tamoten/Kunzite sitting at Mamoru's desk, reading a newspaper and sipping some water.

"I didn't know you could read Japanese." She remarked.

Tamoten glanced at her over his paper, gave her an enigmatic smile, then returned to his reading.

Setsuna frowned. She was about to say something else when Jikokuten/Jedite popped his head through the door.

"Usagi-hime," he said quietly, "it's time for you to go to school."

He held her satchel and a sack lunch in his hands.

Setsuna snorted.

"Aw, I don't want to go. I want to keep playing with Nephrite...I mean...K-k" Usagi attempted.

"I hate stupid Sailor Moon," Komo snarled at the television screen as the five note melody indicating defeat rang out from the speakers, "she's the stupidest one of them all!"

"Hey!" Usagi threw a pillow at him, "That's not true! I -"

"Usagi!" Setsuna broke in hurriedly, "Time to go to school, now!"

She grabbed the younger girl and pushed her into Jiko's arms. He gave her a grateful nod and ushered her out the door.

"So, are you four planning on living off of Mamoru's hospitality from now on?" she asked, once the two blonds were gone.

Tamoten spoke from behind his paper: "Of course not. We will assimilate ourselves into the populace of this city within a two mile radius of Mamoru and aid in the furtherance of Crystal Tokyo."

"And play video games," Komo added.

"Do you have any marketable skills?" Setsuna asked skeptically.

Komo and Tamoten looked at her blankly.

"Don't worry, Sets," Mamoru said from the doorway, "I kind of like having them around."

There was a crash and a wail from the living room.

"Got to go." Mamoru sighed and ran back into the living room.

From his bedroom, Sestuna could hear the men's voices.

"It's alright, Zo-chan," Jiko was saying, "Your hair will grow back."

"How did you even get the blender in that position?" Mamoru asked, exasperatedly.

Setsuna met Tamoten's eyes; they shared identical smirks.

**

* * *

**

**Author's Note: **

That's the end of this installment, the rest of the Senshi and Shitennou's adventures are in _Light Fantastic_, which has a lot more fluff and is a tad more serious. Looking back on it now, I kind of wish I'd let the Senshi stay evil for longer – they had such a short time to shine! Maybe that's a story for another time. Anyway, thank you for reading _Foreshadowing_. I hope to complete the 'trilogy' with a sequel to _Light Fantastic_, but we'll see. Thanks!

- A.C.


End file.
